Non-covalent functionalization of carbon nanotubes with boronic acids for the wiring of glycosylated redox enzymes in oxygen-reducing biocathodes

Abstract

We report the non-covalent functionalization of multiwalled carbon nanotubes with pyrene monomers bearing a boronic acid function. These functionalized electrodes were used to wire horseradish peroxidase via formation of a covalent boronic ester bond under mild conditions with the glycosylated enzyme. By attaching glucose oxidase at the same time, a bi-enzymatic system was elaborated and showed efficient bioelectrocatalytic oxygen reduction under physiological conditions.